Steam-feed works for saw-mills



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. CLARK. (SQTEAM FEED WORKS FORSAW MILLS.

Patented Apr. I17, 1883.

k. 10W... a FL WI TJVESSES N. FEYERS, Phcto-ulhompm. wmhington. D. C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. CLARK.

l STEAM FEED WORKS EUR SAW MILLS. NO- 275.800. Patented Apr.'17, 1888.

WITNESSES 7K? EJvToz W @am 9@ l Attorney;

(No Model.) A 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. v

G; CLARK.

STEAM PSED WORKS POR SAW MILLS. No. 275,800. `1:atentSd Apr.17,1883.

N. PETERS. Phmumgnphnr. wnhingmn. n c.

' UNrTen JSTATES ATENT Finca.

GEORGE CLARK, OF MARINETTE, W'ISOONSIN.

STEAM-FEED WORKS FOR SAW-MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,800, dated April1'7, 1883,

Application tiled January 24, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE CLARK, a citizenot' the United States, residing` at Marinette, in the county ofMarinette and State ot' Wisconsin, have invented new and usefulSteam-Feed Works. for Saw-Mills, ot' which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to steam-feed works for circular saw mills, andhas for its object to provide a simple, efficient, and compactl feedmechanism by which the saw-mill carriage can be fed and gigged at anyrequired speed.

Theinvention consists, broadly, in a cylinder, which is of a length muchless (about one-fifth) than the length of travel of the carriage,arranged at one end ofthe mill. The piston of this comparatively-shortcylinder turns alternately in both directions (so as to alternately feedand gig the mill-carriage) a pulley that carries, in connection withanother pulley at the other end of the mill, an endless metallic cable,to which the saw-mill carriage is secured. In this improved steam-feedthe elasticity of the steam and of the metallic cable or rope @whichlatter is preferably constructed ofsteel) combine to forni a perfectcushion in starting and stopping, and affords instantaneous relief tothe saw when entering hard lumber, knots,

bunches, and the like.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal elevation, with portions insection, of my improved feed-works, and showing the log-carriage inposition. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same. the front ofthe saw.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the cylinder ot' my improvedsteam-feed works, which is preferably placed under the tloor B of themill out of the way. In the cylinder A works an ordinary piston-head, O,and from each side of this piston-head extends a sectionot'drive-ehains, D D, which is connected to the piston-head, and ispreferably formed of steel. These iieXible steel chains D D mesh withstrong toothed wheels E E, that are inclosed in a steam-tight casing, F,at each end of the cylinder A. The toothed wheels E E are fixed onshafts G G', that pass through stuffingboxes H H in the casings F F.There is one toothed wheel and its shaft at each end ofthe Fig. 3 is anend view', looking toward cylinder, and one ot' the shafts, G', carriesa iixed pulley or drum, I, as shown.

J J are tubular guides or chambers arranged on the cylinder, and servingto guide the free ends of the iiexihle chains D D.

On corresponding ends of the shafts G G are fixed pulleys K K, thatcarry a band, L, by means of which mechanism power from the shaft G,when the piston-head is operating to turn the toothed wheelthereon,istransmitted to the shaft G to turn the latter.

M N designate respectively the feed and eX-f haust ports of the rotaryvalve O, ot' the cylinder A, and 'P P are the pipes leading from thesaid valve to each end ofthe said cylinder, through which steam isadmitted to the latter. This rotary valve is operated by the Sawyeroroperator by means ot' a lever, Q, thatisconnected by a pivoted rod,It, with a band wheel or pulley, S, around which passes a band, T, thatis carried at its other end by another band wheel or pulley, U, on thekey V of the said valve. with the greatest ease, and causes no tremor orjar upon the sawyers hand, the whole of this mechanism being very light.It is only necessary to throw the lever a short distance inv eitherdirection to operate the valve.

XV designates the strong steel-wire cable or rope that carries thelog-carriage. This rope is wound a number of' times around the pulley ordrum l, and also passes once around a pulley, X, of less diameter thenthe pulley 1, and

`arranged at the opposite end of the carriageway.

' 'Y designates a tightener for the steel-wire: vdrive-rope, whichcomprises a swinging frame,. Z, carrying a pulley, A2, over which thesaid rope travels, and provided with one or more weights, B2, arranged0n aline, O2, extending from the lower end ofthe pivoted or swinging-This operating-lever Q can be handledv IOD . they carry will projectslightly' above the milloor B. This projecting portion is protected by aboxing, H2, having a longitudinal slot,

12, in its top through which travels the clamp J2, that is attached tothe carriage and is secured to the drive-rope. At the point where thesaid standard clamps the drive-ropcIpropose to join the two ends of thelatter.

The brake mechanism above described, bein g attached to the shaft G,acts directly upon the piston-head in the cylinder through the agency ofthe Atoothed Wheel on `the said shaft G, and the drive-chain in thecylinder that meshes with the latter. This brake is operated either bythe foot ofthe sawyer or by steam-power, and is of such power thatitgives the Sawyer, in connection with the valve-governinglever, perfectcontrol of the carriage.

This improved steam-feed works equally as well in any position, eitherhorizontally or vertically, and is of especially simple and inexpensiveconstruction. The motion of the piston-head is transmitted directly tothe shaft G', carrying the main drum or pulley I, by means of thedrive-chains in the cylinder and the toothed wheels. As the pnlleyIrevolves the steel-wire rope or cable travels in the direction that thesaid pulley is turning and carries the carriage.

From thedirectness with which the power is transmitted from thepiston-head to the main drum or pulley I, and the frictionless nature ofthe mechanism, a comparatively small piston and cylinder suffices, andbut at the other end of the carriage-way, and a cable or rope passingover the said pulleys and secured to the log-carriage, as set forth.

2. The combination of a cylinder having toothed wheels fixed on shaftsjournaled at each end, a piston working therein, vdrivechains secured tothe piston and extending fromv both sides thereof land engaging thetoothed wheels to turn the same, pulleys fixed onvthe shafts of thetoothed wheels outside the cylinder and connected by a belt or othermeans, and adrum or pulley xed to the shaft of one of the toothed Wheelsand carrying, in connection with another pulley at the other end ofthecarriage-way, acable or rope to which the log-carriage is secured, asset forth.

3. As an improvement in saw-mill feedworks, the combination of acylinder carrying 6o toothed wheels fixed on shafts projectingfrom theends of the cylinder, a piston working in the cylinder, a section ofdrive-chain extendp ing from the piston and engaging the toothed wheelsto turn the shafts of the latter from a pulley or drum arranged on oneof the shafts ofthe toothed wheels, and a cable connected with the saiddrum and with the saw-mill carriage, as set forth.

4. As an improvement in saw-mill feed- 7o works, the combination ofthecylinder having steam-ports and provided with auxiliary casings at itsends, toothed wheels turning in the said casings and fixed on shaftsprojectingv therefrom, a piston Working in the cylinder,

drivechains secured to the piston and extending from both sides thereofand engaging the toothed wheels, tubular guides or chambers arranged onthe cylinder and serving to guide the free ends of the sections ofdrivechain, a 8o drum or pulley fixed on one of the shafts of thetoothed wheels, and acable passing around the saiddrum and secured tothe saw-mill carriagc, as set forth.

5. As an improvement in feed mechanism for saw-mills, the combination ofa cylinder having toothed wheels fixed on shafts projecting at its ends,a piston working in said cylinder, sections of drive-chains secured tothe piston and extending from both sides thereof 9o and engaging thetoothed whcels,pulleys fixed to the toothed wheels, shafts outside thecylinder and connected by a belt or other means, and a drum or pulleyarranged on one of the toothed wheel-shafts, and a cable passing aroundthe pulley and connected to the sawmill carriage, as set forth.

V6. The combination, in saw-mill feed-works, with a cylinder providedwith connecting mechanism by which it operates to feed theIOO carriage,and having ltoothed wheels at its ends that are fixed on projectingshafts and are adapted to be operated by sections of drivechainextending from the piston, the cable by which the carriage isreciprocated being seros cured to the carriage and arranged around apulley or drum ou one of the shafts of the toothed Wheels, of abrake-wheel fixed on one of the shafts of the toothed wheels andprovided With a brake-band that is connected to r so

